Like most stocks this one for beef noodles is hardly worth doing unless you do it in some volume. The stock can be refrigerated or frozen and trotted out whenever you feel in the mood. Though it is specific to this dish, it contains nearly the whole gamut of standard Chinese seasonings and could be used in stir-fries, soups or stews.

Stock Ingredients (8 servings)

2 large beef bones

15 cloves garlic

1 large piece fresh ginger (60 g)

3 stalks scallion

4 chilli peppers

1-1/2 onions

1-1/2 large carrots

1 daikon radish 

1 tablespoon beef fat 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

12 star anise 

3 teaspoons peppercorns

6 tablespoons hot bean sauce

6 tablespoons Taiwan rice wine

1 cup soy sauce

4 litres water

Stock Method

1. Wash bones, blanch, wash again.
2. Peel and roughly crush garlic.
3. Slice ginger.
4. Cut scallions lengthways into halves.
5. Cut chilli peppers lengthways into halves.
6. Peel and cut onion, carrot, radish into chunks.
7. In wok heat up beef fat and oil.
8. Add sugar, cook on a low heat until golden.
9. Turn up heat, add garlic, ginger, scallions, chilli peppers, onion, star anise, and peppercorns. Fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
10. Add hot bean sauce, rice wine, soy sauce.
11. Add a cup of water, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
12. Transfer to a large pot.
13. Add 4 litres of water, bring to a boil. 
14. Add bones, carrot, radish.
15. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
16. Strain off solids.

Noodle Soup Ingredients (Serves 4)
400 g (dry) white, round noodles
400 g beef heel muscle (牛腱肉)
2 litres stock?
8 leaves Taiwan bok choy
4 tablespoons Chinese pickled vegetable

Noodle Soup Method

1. Wash beef and cut into chunks.
2. Bring stock to boil. Add beef, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. 
3. Cut bok choy into halves. 
4. Chop pickled vegetable.
5. Bring a pot of water to boil, add noodles, bring to boil again and simmer according to package instructions.
6. Drain noodles and place equal portions in 4 large bowls.
7. Place beef on noodles.
8. Add a couple of pieces each of carrot and radish leftover from stock.
9. Add bok choy.
10. Pour stock over noodles.
11. Garnish each bowl with pickles.
    

Notes:

For the beef fat, you may be able to cut some from the beef. This dish typically uses Taiwan bok choy. As the name implies, it is common in Taiwan, though it may not be where you are. The whole Chinese/napa cabbage, bok/pak choy/choi thing is excruciatingly confusing in English, and only slightly better in Chinese. What I can tell you is that in Taiwan, Taiwan bok choy is called 小白菜 (xiao bai cai). But if you can't find it, it doesn't really matter. Substitute any bok/pak choy/choi thingy or other light, leafy Asian vegetable. Beef bones preferably should be sawed in half – this helps the good stuff inside leach into the stock. Chinese pickles are made from various kinds of vegetables. Any tart-tasting pickle like Sichuan preserved vegetable will do.

Read more about Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup or try cooking Clear Beef Noodle Soup